Melatonin
What Is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone your brain makes every night. Your pineal gland starts producing it when it gets dark and stops when light hits your eyes. It tells your body when to sleep. Not how deeply to sleep. That distinction matters.
You can also take it as a supplement. It’s the most popular sleep aid in the United States. About 3.1 million Americans use it regularly. But melatonin isn’t a sleeping pill. It’s a timing signal. It shifts your internal clock, and that’s what makes it useful for things like jet lag and delayed sleep.